Does anyone know history of Emporium building, building's engineer, structural system, structure in relation to history of the city, how it fits into San Francisco in general, etc...

Thank you!

-- Tatyana (tateeana@hotmail.com), October 15, 2003

Answers

Try looking in some of the many wonderful architectural histories of San Francisco. The Woodbridge "S F Architecture" and "Splendid Survivors" are good starts.

Good Luck in your research.

-- Kurt Iversen (iversenk@aol.com), October 21, 2003.

The history of the Emporium building is documented in several locations. It is a project I am currently working on for a client and has a very interesting past. In the mid/late1800's the site consisted of individual furniture stores, lofts, and offices. Then by 1899 the first department store building was on the site. It was called the "Parrott Building" which housed the original "Emporium and Golden Rule Bazaar". All but the front facade of this building was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake. The current building you see today was built in 1907. Go to these sites for some history info:

www.sfmuseum.org/hist10/emporhist.html

Also, Utah State University library has some historic photographs taken of the earthquake in 1906 showing the original Emporium building'd damage. Hope this helps you out.

-- Judy Hosner (jhosner@itsi.com), October 30, 2003.

My great-great uncle, Hugh Sidney Smyth, and two of of his brother-in-laws, David Forster and Archibald Little, ran a furniture and carpet store called Forster, Little, & Co. at 861 Market ( the location of the Emporium) in the 1890s . I am looking for a photo .

-- Tom Sharp (tomrsharp@cox.net), February 02, 2004.